Library Research Grows Rapidly

The Edgeworth David Museum's extensive Local History Library and Archives continues to grow rapidly , and will do so whilst ever floor-space remains available.

The total number of Hunter Valley towns and settlement histories now extends to 680, with 1,494 town pages added during the year 2013. It is amazing just how the number of towns and settlements continues to grow as more and more research is undertaken.

The number of coal mines listed with their history now number 918, with 423 pages being added during the year 2013.

We are a history society for whom history, particularly local history, always comes first.

Likewise a lot of work has been done to cater for family historians, with the number of Hunter Valley district cemeteries in the library now being 121, with an addition of 10,980 pages being added in 2013.

Our research so far in 2013, thanks to a Cessnock City Council grant, has allowed us to add 21,299 pages to the library, which is now far greater in extent than any other comparable library around.

Not bad for a history society of just 24 members, of whom just eight are active museum volunteers.

The Percy Sternbeck Collection

We are digitising many of the photos taken by the late Percy Sternbeck, featuring local scenes back in the seventies and eighties.

Local servicemen during World War 1

World War 1

With
the 100th anniversary of World War One just over twelve months away, we
have again commenced producing research pages of the Hunter's
involvement in this war, both at home and at the front.

Mostly this project has been unfunded, but in just one year alone the
Department of Veteran Affairs gave us a small grant of about $200.

At
different times over the past fifteen years we have undertaken this
massive project. This has already resulted in us having arguably the
most extensive library of the Hunter's involvement in WW1.

Prior to recommencing this project in January 2013, it already had
8,232 pages of research completed, filling 79 binders and four metres of
library shelving.By the end of January 2013, several hundred new pages
of research have been added, which should become several thousand by the
end of 2013.